1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of ballpoint pens and more particularly to a press-action ballpoint pen with a shank having at least one elongated viewing window and a printed sleeve which rotates past the viewing window through a predetermined angle upon actuation of an operating mechanism.
2. Prior Art
Press-action ballpoint pens in the prior art typically utilize an operating mechanism which includes a cross-piece which receives the inner end of the ink cartridge and a pressing device which is coaxial with the cross-piece.
In ballpoint pens according to the prior art the cross-piece is inserted into a printed sleeve in such a way that there is an axially fixed connection between the printed sleeve and the cross-piece. Accordingly, the printed sleeve follows not only the rotary movement of the cross-piece but also the axial displacement thereof, with the result that advertising imprints on the printed sleeve which are to be aligned in each case with the viewing window of the mechanism sleeve have to be matched, particularly as regards their line length, to the axial travel of the printed sleeve in such a way that they can be read in their entirety through the viewing window. Therefore, in accordance with the two axial positions which can be assumed by the printed sleeve, given a full line length corresponding to the length of the viewing window it is necessary that the printed lines be alternately offset with respect to one another in the circumferential direction. In addition it is considered undesirable if the operating travel of the operating mechanism can be seen through the viewing window. Depending on how the pressing device is held, the pressing device is usually actuated by means of an operating button, a displacement of the script or of the pictorial representations on the printed sleeve is produced through the viewing window and this displacement is considered to be undesirable.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a press-action ballpoint pen with a viewing window and a printed sleeve.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a press-action ballpoint pen in which a printed sleeve rotates in a viewing window and is not axially displaced during operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a press-action ballpoint pen which comprises a relatively small number of component parts which are economical to manufacture, resulting in a relatively low overall cost.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly hereinafter.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a press-action ballpoint pen with a hollow shank having an elongated viewing window. A printed sleeve is mounted for rotation past the viewing window through a predetermined angle upon actuation of an operating mechanism which operates the ink cartridge.
The operating mechanism includes a cross-piece, which receives the inner end of the cartridge, and also a pressing device, which is coaxial with the cross-piece. The cross-piece is engaged via teeth both with the pressing device and with the shank interior in such a way that each time the pressing device is pressed in axially, counter to the force of a spring which supports the cartridge, the cross-piece is axially displaced, rotated through the predetermined angle and held alternately in two axial positions which differ from one another by the operating travel. The cross-piece is furthermore connected to the printed sleeve in a manner which is fixed against rotation.
The printed sleeve and the crosspiece are connected to one another in a manner fixed against rotation, but are axially loose with respect to one another. The structure and the functioning of the operating mechanism can remain unchanged, which means that there is no change to the actuating sequence for transferring the ballpoint pen cartridge into the writing position and back. With regard to the printing of the printed sleeve, an optimum orientation of the printed lines relative to one another is afforded and, moreover, the entire format of the viewing window can be better utilized. This applies to printing of the printed sleeve with lines of text, and to printing of the printed sleeve with picture elements which appear in the viewing window of the mechanism sleeve.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the driving contours on the printed sleeve are designed as axial grooves, which are expediently arranged diametrically opposite one another on the inner wall of the printed sleeve. The cross-piece is correspondingly equipped with driving cams projecting on the outer side.